Please God, Make My Business Prosper Even if it Means The Guy Next Door Fails and All His Children Go Hungry

Business cards are dropped into a glass case in one of the churches in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, one of that country's most Catholic cities. I was there for the Good Friday activities, which include a Silent Procession of Guilds, penitentes, Jesus emulators, local celebrities and leaders, drummers, and trumpet players, all redolent of the "original" Processions de Silencio in Seville, made famous by the great Isaac Albeniz in his piece, "Fete-Diue a Seville." But this business card stuff worries me. Has the RCC in Mexico taken to preaching the Prosperity Gospel, too? Santa Martha is called "the Dominator." Here is a prayer recited by the faithful: "Oh Santa Marta miraculous, I welcome your refuge and protection giving myself to you, to help me in my affliction, and in proof of my affection and gratitude, I offer you spread your devotion.Console me in my sorrows and afflictions, I beg you for the great joy that your heart glad to stay at your house in Bethany the Savior of the world;intercede for me and my family to always preserve in our hearts to our God living in His grace and hating every offense against Him;be remediated to our needs and especially this grieves me now (on your desires).I beg you to help me overcome the difficulties with the strength with which you beat, by the power of the Cross, the dragon you have surrendered to your feet.So be it."

Really! When the ReverEND John Hagee characterized Katrina as a hurricane sent by God to destroy a city because it hosted gay pride events such as Southern Decadence, he was telling all of the other cities along the Gulf Coast that they'd been good, so God was sparing them. That includes, of course, all of the 24/7 gambling venues up and down the coast, mainly in Mississippi. God favors casinos that prey on gaming addictions but destroys a city because it attracts a sexual minority for a weekend. Reminds me of His destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, supposedly for homosexuality, then turns around and has Lot's daughters seducing him. Seems to me God is awfully arbitrary, capricious, and unworthy of belief.

If you stop and think about it, it DOES matter that the neighbors are dead. Praying that God will spare YOU is the most selfish, reprehensible thing imaginable, but understandable given the believer's upbringing and Fanon-described mental set. They are blind to the consequences, not realizing that chance and only chance has determined who will live and who will die. God has nothing to do with it.

Christianity and Islam are both the ultimate narcissistic religions, at least for men.

If you follow the rules, you get eternal paradise. For christians, even if you live a life of evil, murder, lies, abuse, and corruption, for 70 years, if you manage to repent in the minutes before death, you get the full heavenly package.

I like some of the old religions better, where the gods do whatever they want and sometimes if you are lucky and give them a sacrifice, they might or might not help you out. But your trip to the afterlife, if that happens at all, depends on your own virtues and strength of character.